Admits She Used Meth And Marijuana Around Sierra
posted November 11, 2008
Traci Carpenter took the witness stand Tuesday and gave a Criminal Court jury no explanation for the child abuse death of her 18-month-old daughter, Sierra Carpenter. She did admit she had used meth and marijuana around the child.
Brian Rutherford, her boyfriend at the time, is standing trial in the courtroom of Judge Don Poole for felony murder and aggravated child abuse. Ms. Carpenter is also charged with aggravated child abuse, but is not currently on trial.
Ms. Carpenter testified that Sierra died not like Rutherford and cried every time he tried to hold her or play with her.
She told the jury she bathed Sierra the night before she was taken by LifeForce helicopter to Erlanger Hospital and did not see the numerous bruises on her body that physicians found at the hospital.
Ms. Carpenter said there had been a knot on Sierra's head the previous Saturday, and she said Rutherford told her his daughter, Alyssa, may have hit her in the head with a toy.
She said she had also seen a bruise and scratch around her eye and believed she may have gotten it by pressing her face against her playpen.
Doctors said the child had been severely shaken and struck numerous times, including in her ears.
Rutherford has maintained he never hurt Sierra.
Ms. Carpenter said on the way to the hospital that Rutherford "said he was sorry. He said he felt it was his fault because of some of the comments he had made."
Ms. Carpenter, who had just turned 19 when her daughter died, also said, "I never hit my daughter."
She said she has not been promised anything in return for testifying for the state. She denied she had told anyone she felt she would not go to jail if she testified against Rutherford.
Ms. Carpenter, who is now 21, said she had Sierra when she was 17. She said her husband, Josh Carpenter, died in a car wreck on Jan. 9, 2006.
She said it was after his death that she used meth for about a month and again for about a month after Sierra died.
She said she moved out of her parents' home on April 12, 2006, saying she was often "butting heads" with her mother, Sue Petty. On the last incident, the police had to be called.
She said she spent two nights with Rutherford's former girlfriend, Hillary Avans, then went camping with Rutherford at Harrison Bay State Park on her 19th birthday on April 15, 2006. She said she then moved in with Rutherford. She said she had spent several nights with him earlier.
She said the only night that Rutherford kept Sierra alone was the night before she was taken to the hospital. She said she was gone an hour to an hour and a half taking a test at Chattanooga State.
She said Sierra had vomited before she left. She said after she returned they ate spaghetti with neighbors across the street. She said Sierra stayed in her lap while there.
Ms. Carpenter said after they returned home, Sierra threw up again. She said she then gave her a bath, but did not notice any bruises.
She said Sierra slept a long time, then got up and again went to sleep.
Ms. Carpenter said she was taking a shower early that afternoon when Rutherford began banging on the door and told her something was wrong with Sierra. She said she could see that she was limp in his arms and was gasping for air.
She said she started pushing on Sierra to try to revive her, then tried CPR. She said she then gave her back to Rutherford and told him to find help for her.
She said she then got dressed and Rutherford came back for her.
She said Rutherford left the hospital because he was uncomfortable around her family members.
Defense attorney Hank Hill ended his cross examination by asking Ms. Carpenter, "Did you ever once say that (the police) should check Brian Rutherford to see if he did it?" Ms. Carpenter admitted that she had not.
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